A Battle Worth Fighting

Chapter Two; Cancer

Emmi lay in her father's arms, Shay gazed down at his daughter. He wiped the spit around her lips and carried her into the hospital. Colette was walking quietly behind. This had all seemed too familiar.

Lydia.

Colette's best friend when she was in high school. Lydia had missed a week of school in eleventh grade. It wasn't until two days later did the school find out Lydia had Lung cancer. Colette had visited Lydia every weekend from then on. She always asked if she was going to be okay.

Yes.

Don't worry Colette.

She'll be fine.

Lydia is doing well.

She will be alright.

Stop asking hun, she's okay.

Colette believed those lies until on July Fourteenth, Lydia passed away. Colette had cried herself to sleep that night. They had been best friends their whole life. It had always been Lydia and Colette. Whatever Lydia was doing she would invite Colette. Whatever Colette was doing she would invite Lydia. It was always that. Now it never would.

Colette brushed her daughter's dirty blonde hair from her face gently. Lydia had all the symptoms. How had she been so blind, Colette said to herself. Emmi was sleeping in her father's arms, one of her last moment of being a regular child.

Shay and Colette spoke to the nurse about Emmi's symptoms, leaving out the worry of lung cancer. The nurse looked at the girl laying unmoving in her father's arms and rushed them back into a room.

Shay wrapped the blanket tighter around Emmi and held her close to him. A doctor walked in.

"Hello Mr and Mrs Butler, I'm Dr.Ishon." The man introduced himself. He bent down next to Emmi. "And this is Emmi I suppose?" He studied the girls pale face and stood up. Shay and Colette nodded. Dr.Ishon pulled over a seat and clasped his hands together.

"So in my notes I see nausea, cough, sneezing, tiredness, weakness, headaches, throwing up and I see on her records.." He pauses for a moment while he turns to his computer and brings up Emmi's files, "She had
pneumonia just a few weeks ago, yes?" Colette nods. The doc shuffles through his papers.

"So, how much weight do you think your daughter has lost in the eh, past month or so?" He asks.

"Around five pounds." Colette answers nervously. The doctor sighs and takes one more close glance at Emmi.

"Okay, Mr-"

"Please, just call us Shay and Colette." Shay says. The doc nods

"Okay Colettte, Shay, are you prepared for the chance of Emmi having cancer?" He says gently. Colette takes a shaky breath and nods.

"Yes." She whispers.

"I don't want to make any wrong assumptions, but it just I mean it." He sighs and runs his hand through his short cut hair, "The side affects are all affects of a child or any person with lung cancer." Colette nods. and leans into her hubby.

"But whatever happens, your daughter will be okay." He assures them, "Well let's get some tests done and the information will get to you as quickly as today."

☆After Results☆

Emmi butler.

At 11:09 AM is diognosed with Lung cancer.

And at 11:09 AM, their life would never be the same after.

Colette looked at her daughter. Hooked up to so many machines. Tubes. Ivs. She hated, absolutely hated seeing her daughter like this. When Emmi found out about it she broke down. Screaming. Crying. No one could blame her. Why would this happen to a sweet little girl? Only God knows.

It was now around one and they gave her some medicine for pain. They weren't going to start her on her treatment just yet. Few hours of freedom for a little girl who was going to be stuck in a hospital bed for a while.

The tan door opened and Shay came in with the two oldest. Avia almost sprinted over.

"My little sister. " She whispered as tears formed in her big brown eyes. Gavin went on the other side and stroked Emmi's hand. He didn't say anything but his silence was so painful. Colette leaned into Shay.

This was their biggest battle starting to begin.